Indianapolis Civic Theatre has begun negotiations with Carmel that could result in its relocation from Marian University in 2012.

“We’re going to explore for 60 days” an offer Carmel — which is building a Performing Arts Center — has extended to Civic, said its executive director, Cheri Lynn, who did not give details.

The process began when Civic’s board, facing the end of its lease with Marian in 2012, “made requests for proposals to seven entities,” Lynn said, including Marian, Carmel and Indianapolis.

Only Carmel responded.

“They most definitely caught our attention, so the board decided to suspend all outreach to other interested parties,” Lynn said. “We didn’t want to toy with two or three organizations’ proposals. That would be unfair to them and to Civic.”

The theater’s home at Marian still has a strong claim on Civic’s attention that negotiations with Carmel will not impair. “With Marian, instead we are engaging in dialogue,” Lynn said, to maintain an educational connection with the university, which Civic has called home since 2004. The theater was founded in 1915.

Marian University broke the news of Civic’s discussions with Carmel in a media advisory released Friday afternoon. In it, university President Daniel J. Elsener said: “Both organizations have benefited significantly from our collaboration. One of our primary reasons for venturing into this relationship was the incredible learning opportunities for our students that Civic Theatre brings to campus. We — and our students — will miss that interaction most.”

Lynn said Civic Theatre wants a long-range presence at Marian, no matter what happens with Carmel.

Civic Theatre shows will continue at Marian University at least through the 2011-12 season.